No matter what type of business you’re in, you will benefit greatly by building your own list of subscribers and readers. I’m specifically talking about those who will benefit from buying your products or services. When people benefit from doing business with you – they’ll be happy, you’ll be happy and your reputation will grow.

Once people know, like and trust you, they’ll want to do business with you. That’s marketing in a nutshell. It works for individuals, products, large corporations, etc.

The most practical way to do this in my personal experience has been to embrace the Golden Rule. The Golden Rule applies to everything in life – including list building. Treat people the way you’d like to be treated yourself. I can already hear someone saying, “But I hate being sold to!” Let’s be honest about this. You only hate being sold to when it’s something you’re not interested in or something you can’t afford at the present moment.

When it’s something that excites you and you have money in hand, you want to hear all about it. You want the products and services that will make things easier, better or even more entertaining in your day-to-day life.

Apply the Golden Rule to the methods below and you will find that, like a garden, success will begin to grow in every area of your life – including your business.

1.   Include a call to action at the end of your blog posts.

Let your visitors know that if they like your blog posts, they’ll love your newsletter content. That’s because you save some of your best niche tips, tricks and insights for subscribers.

To get more subscribers, include a link to your landing page at the bottom of your posts, along with a reason to click on that link.

Example: Discover 12 of the most effect, time-tested weight loss methods for free – click here!

 2.   Encourage a viral effect.

You can get more subscribers simply by including a note at the bottom of every newsletter where you encourage your existing subscribers to forward your email to their friends, family and colleagues who could benefit from the information.

Example: “Do you know someone else who could benefit from these dog training secrets? Please forward this email to them – they’ll thank you for it!”

 3.   Use your forum signature file to get new subscribers.

If you’re visiting busy niche forums, include an ad and a call to action in your forum signature.

Example: “Free report reveals the health secrets the pharmaceutical industry doesn’t want you to know! Click here to download your copy now…”

 4.   Point your Twitter followers to a free report.

You can use Twitter.com as well as other social media sites (like Facebook.com) to grow your list. Simply point your fans and followers towards your squeeze page to pick up a free report. Include this link on your profile page as well as in some of your posts (“tweets”).

 5.   Embed your links in your products.

Sometimes people share your digital products with their friends. Sometimes they give away or sell pirated copies of your product. Either way, you can benefit from this if you include links to your squeeze page in your paid products.

 6.   Drive traffic to your landing page using videos.

You can create YouTube.com videos for the sole purpose of driving traffic to your newsletter sign up page. To get the best results, include a call to action at the end of your video where you promise viewers they can get the second part of the video – for free – when they join your list.

 7.   Tap into Squidoo to get new subscribers.

Create Squidoo.com pages around niche topics with the purpose of driving visitors to your landing page. In other words, all your Squidoo links should point to your squeeze page.

 8.   Co-promote with others in your niche.

Here you can swap endorsements with your partners. You can post your endorsements on your respective blogs as well as in your newsletters.

 9.   Unleash the power of content marketing.

First create a multi-part article series around a niche topic. Then upload Part 1 to the article directories (such as EzineArticles.com, GoArticles.com and IdeaMarketers.com) and upload the rest of the series to your autoresponder. Use your article byline to encourage people to get Part 2 of the article by clicking through to your squeeze page.

 10.       Form a newsletter co-op.

Do a co-registration deal with one or more people in your niche. That is, when a prospect is joining your partner’s newsletter, they also get the option of joining your newsletter at the same time (simply by checking a checkbox).

Summary

You can use as many of these methods as you’d like to get dozens, hundreds or even thousands of new subscribers. Just remember, the method is only effective when you provide ongoing value. Without that, you’re just another cookie in the jar. Provide value to others and you will be valued in return.

As I have said before, there are only two ways you can have additional income … either get a second job or start a business of your own.  There aren’t any other ways.

That means you must study the doing of business – but …

Even as you begin studying the doing of business, you need to go ahead with your plans by setting yourself up as a “business” … just as though you were getting another job.

Establish the days and hours you will work. — You will be working for the best boss in the world … yourself … but, just as any other boss does, you MUST have a specific time for your best employee … you … to work.  Be fair but make it an absolute requirement that your employee be on the “job” at those times … with exceptions for special occasions, emergencies, etc., just as any other good boss would.

It doesn’t matter whether you establish 2 hours each evening; Monday thru Friday … or 1 hour each evening; Monday, Wednesday and Friday … or, 6 hours each evening; Monday thru Saturday … it MUST be specific hours.

Don t say, “I’ll work 2 hours each evening.” — Instead, set specific hours to accomplish your work … say, “I will work from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., each evening.”  That way, you will KNOW when you are supposed to be at work and when your work day will end.  (No fudging.)

With time … as your business grows … you might be able to set your hours like mine.  I work from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Monday thru Friday.  Sometimes I come to work a little early or stay a little late – but – unless there is a special occasion, emergency, or whatever, I am at “work” from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.  (My boss … he’s a great guy … understands those special situations.)

Give your best employee a specific work place … demand that your employee keep their work tools in that area AND that other projects not related to the business be relegated to some other area. –You wouldn’t go to work in a machine shop with a television sitting next to your lathe (a good way to lose some fingers), would you? — Be as adamant about maintaining your work area as any other boss would.

The ONLY things you should have in your work area … whether it is the corner of your bedroom, or a separate room, or a rented space across town … are the things you need to do your business. — If it doesn’t relate directly to your doing of business, it should be put somewhere else … even if that somewhere else is just across the room on top of the TV; which is never on during your business hours.

Assign your best employee a series of tasks that must be performed each time that employee enters the work area … at first, you might have to write down a list of things that MUST be done first, before anything else, upon entering the work area.  After a while, it will become almost instantaneous.

When your best employee … you … has completed ALL of the mundane, but required, tasks, only then may your employee move on to further assigned tasks in order to build the business.

But, since the boss and your best employee are so closely related, where do those further assigned tasks come from?

Here s how I do it for my best employee …

As I go through my emails, if I find something that may improve my business, I grab a yellow sticky-note from the pad on my desk and make a note to myself to check it out … I might just write “check email msg: subject” … then I stick the note along the edge of my computer screen, or on my desk.

NOTE:  I used to just “flag” the emails I wanted to refer back to but, with incoming email all the time, too many of them got lost – SO – I created a new Mail Folder labeled “Alpha.”  When I encounter an email I want to follow up on, I simply move that message to my “Alpha” file.  Then, when one of my sticky notes refers to an email message, I know I will find it in the “Alpha” file.

Beyond that, any time I am reading anything about business and I come across something I think will increase my business … in any way; even by adopting and adapting it … I, once again, reach for my sticky-notes and write myself a note about what I need to do or investigate. — Some of those notes may only have a brief idea on them (such as:  “change headline on xyz page to new headline”) … or, the note may direct me to  “check out:  www. xyz. com” … or, “find: new source of printer ink” … or, “search for:  web sites about whatever.” … or, “new email subject for xyz product: new subject”"

NOTE:  I also keep note pads everywhere … on my bed side table, next to my recliner, in the car, by the telephone, in the bathroom.  When an idea flashes across my itty-bitty brain; rather than forget it, I jot it down.  I collect those notes and take them to my desk; where I transcribe them to yellow sticky-notes.

Each of those sticky-notes get stuck to my computer; or on my desk, until I have a chance to do them. — Once they are done, that note goes in the round file so I don t inadvertently redo things I have already done.

The one big thing you MUST keep uppermost in your mind is that, when you are in your work area; during your specified work period, you must complete your “required, daily” work duties, before you move on AND you must NOT leave your work area until the end of your specified work period … even if you have nothing more on your list to do.  Spend the time surfing the web for new ideas, or reading a report, book or article specific to the accomplishment of your business.

REMEMBER:  Your work area is for working and your work period is for working – to do otherwise would violate your boss trust … even if the boss won t fire you.

I learned what worked by learning what didn’t. In spite of reading book after book on marketing, branding, copywriting, business and direct marketing many years ago – I still made mistakes. It was then that I discovered the difference between – “knowledge and know-how.”

Knowledge is really nothing more than data or information. It’s static. Non-moving. For example, you read a book on how to restore antique furniture. The book gives you the information or knowledge. Actually restoring a piece of furniture, however, is an entirely different matter. Once you accomplish that, you have “know-how.” Know-how is a working knowledge (or a knowledge that works). Having knowledge alone is like sitting on the bench and watching while others play the game. You know what to do, but you’re not participating in the actual game.

Know-how is taking the data or information you have and using it in a real-life situation – getting the desired result. There are plenty of overweight people who have the “head knowledge” about how to lose weight. They just can’t get it to work in their particular situation. Maybe they lack the ability to persist in the face of resistance? Every individual has their personal hurdles to overcome. The point is, we can find a million examples that point to the fact that knowledge and education alone isn’t enough.

Even so, people pursue it as though it was.

You may be sitting on the bench in several markets watching others play the game? The question is, why?

Legendary tennis coach, Nick Bollettieri, wrote about how some of his students with the best technique, movement and skill fell apart during an actual match because they had a fear of losing. I personally believe the fear of “losing” is what keeps most people sidelined throughout their lives.

People worry about what others will think. The truth is, people are caught up in their own lives with their own situations. They’re not investing any energy to speak of thinking about what you’re doing.

I’ll be the first person to tell you, acquiring knowledge in your field or niche is important. Even so, you will have zero impact on the market and on others until you get into the game for yourself.

KNOWLEDGE ITSELF ISN’T THE COMMODITY IT ONCE WAS

Let’s face it; knowledge or information is everywhere today. It’s easily accessible, especially when it comes to business success. There are innumerable books on specific topics that all basically say the same thing using different words. The result is, we have more people than ever before knowing “what to do” but not being able to figure out how to do it within their given set of circumstances. No two sets of circumstances and obstacles are exactly alike. That’s why books are just a starting point – not an ending point.

Years ago, people didn’t have the success books and courses we have today. They built businesses and became successful anyway. How did they do it? They succeeded through work and perseverance. Work, effort and perseverance are positive character traits that have been emphasized for thousands of years. Sure, it’s not a sexy-sounding solution like the “law of attraction.” But more importantly, it’s the truth. You learn by doing – not just thinking. Thinking doesn’t ignite success the way a spark ignites dynamite. Thinking identifies what you need to have and what you need to do. But thinking alone will never get the job done.

Thomas Edison once said, “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”

FOCUS AND GET RID OF DISTRACTIONS

I once told Jim Straw that I had too many unfinished products sitting on my “mental workbench.” Some were 50% completed, some 20%, etc. I said, “Jim, when I see something interesting, there’s a part of me that has to find out it’s worth pursuing or not.”

He said, “I know a fella like that!” He was talking about himself. For those of you who don’t know, before Jim succeeded in his first business, he has to put all his projects on the backburner and only focus on one. Actually, it was his wife who pointed this out to him. She told him to concentrate on one thing for an entire year and forget about everything else. And that’s what he did.

He told me he was shocked by the results.

The road to success often mundane stretches of time where there’s not much excitement (or money). As a result, a shiny object on the side of the road is often viewed as a welcomed relief and distraction.

Whether the distraction is welcomed or unwelcome, it’s still a distraction. It’s nothing more than a time thief. And time is the one thing everyone has a limited amount of.

If you struggle with boredom, admit it.

Recognize what it is that’s actually distracting you from turning your knowledge into know-how. Make a plan to eliminate your distractions. In my own case, there were several different types of businesses I was interested in building. Just like Jim Straw and countless others, I divided my energy up and worked a little bit on each one. I finally came to a place where I finally recognized I needed to focus my time and energy into one direction. So I did.

Are you getting nowhere fast? Stop looking for shortcuts and get to work.

You learn by doing. You learn by focusing your efforts and eliminating distractions. Knowledge alone won’t pay the bills. Know-how will. Until you really believe that, however, nothing will change. You have to settle it in your heart – focused effort and eliminating distractions are the only way to get from where you are today to where you want to be tomorrow.

Others have done it. You can, too.

Over the past 50 years, I have (really) sold over $400 Million worth of products and services — everything from Beauty Supplies to Heavy Equipment … Burglar Alarms to Sleeping Bags … Fishing Lures to Women’s Wigs … Automobiles to Wheelchairs … Seafood to Investment Opportunities … Consulting Services to “How-To” Courses.

During my lifetime, I have quaffed weak coffee from tin cans in Hobo Jungles beneath railroad trestles, chugged warm beer from canteen-cups in the jungles of Southeast Asia, and sipped fine wine from exquisite crystal goblets in palatial homes around the world … instances befitting my station in life at the time. — I have had more money that I could carry and I have been completely and total without money but I have never been poor.  Poverty is a state of mind … not the state of your pocketbook.

As you can well imagine, when younger entrepreneurs learn of my past successes they want to know “how did you do it?,” “what are your secrets?.”

Well …  my Daddy used to say, “There really aren’t any secrets in this old world.  Only things you don’t happen to know right now” – but – over the past 40 years in the business arenas of the world, I have added …

“Even after you learn what you didn’t know, it still remains a SECRET until you actually do it successfully.”

Without really trying, I could write a million (or more) words about how to succeed in Mailorder or Internet Marketing but they would only be the very same words you have read before.

Everything you need to know to succeed in Mailorder or Internet Marketing has already been said.  But, it will remain a secret to you until you find one of the many techniques, methods, applications, or approaches that works for you.  When you find that one (just one) successful, profitable application … and use it over & over & over to produce your fortune … you will, at long last, know the “secret.”

There is, however, one approach to success I can share with you that I have never seen mentioned in any of the great tomes of wisdom on success in business.  That “secret” is …

It’s NOT what you know … It’s NOT who you know … Rather, it’s …

Who Knows You!

Think about it. — You can know thousands of people but knowing them won’t really put any money in your pocket.  But, if people know you, they will be more willing to do business with you or contribute to your success.

Consider an actor who is unknown. — By letting themselves be known … not by knowing other people … they will be offered the opportunity to display their talents.

When that same actor becomes known to millions of moviegoers; or teevee watchers, they become a “Star” … able to bring an audience with them and, thereby, demand higher and higher pay for the display of their talents to “the people who know them.”

It’s the same in the marketing world.  Those who are known to their potential customers are those who can demand higher and higher rewards for their efforts … unless, of course, they are “known” for their dishonesty, lack of commitment, neglectful attitude, or grasping personality.  Then, they will receive greater and greater punishments by and from those who know them.

So … to succeed in Mailorder, or Internet Marketing, let yourself be known.  Drop the barriers.  Be what you are perceived to be … let the people (your potential customers) “know you.” — That means you must …

Be totally honest with the people you do business with and, even more importantly, be brutally honest with yourself.

The “secret” is to get more and more people to know you as an honest, trustworthy source for those things they need or want.  As the number of people who know you increases, so will your fortunes.

The journey from marketing newbie to successful business owner and consultant was a long and bumpy road. I’ve had a love/hate relationship with marketing for as long as I can remember. In a perfect world, having a good, excellent or even great product or service would be enough. We’d live in a place where we’d enjoy one of those, “If you build it, they will come” scenarios like in the movie, “Field of Dreams.”

This isn’t the movies, though, and it’s far from being a perfect world. So that leaves us with reality and marketing. Regardless of the type of business or profession you’re in, you are also in the marketing business whether you realize it or not. I learned how to market out of necessity. And you must, too.

When my marketing efforts didn’t produce results, I found myself redefining the definition of marketing in such a way that I would never get off-track again.

Here’s a brief synopsis of my business history from the early 1990’s.

I built it.

They didn’t come.

So I built and built and still… not enough sales, not enough interest, not enough income.

Maybe that’s you?

Because I didn’t understand marketing too well at the time, when the business I’d hoped would come didn’t, I just went ahead and built something else. The truth is, I sort of enjoyed the building process. I like the excitement that comes with a new project. My particular style was the opposite of my father’s who was persistent with his building efforts.

For example, when he was building a catering business, he stayed with it for approximately three years before it took off.

I was more of a three month man, myself.

Of course, the end result was – he wound up with a business that was making thousands of dollars a week. I wound up with a small tribe of mutant businesses producing a poverty-level income.

It all came back to one, simple problem. I didn’t understand what marketing was.

If you’re not making any money, you probably don’t really understand it either. Sure, you may understand the concepts and the lingo. Maybe you can even expound upon the benefits of post card marketing, direct mail, squeeze pages, email marketing, etc. You may even be able to record a nice “how-to” audio on the subject. You may have a bookshelf full of marketing publications. But like the old-time businessmen from the streets of North Jersey used to ask, “Just answer me one question… are you making any money?”

Are You Making Any Money?

I hated that question for years because I always seemed to be “getting ready” to make some money. Can you relate to that? You probably can. I made money in spots – here and there but it wasn’t consistent enough. That’s because my understanding of marketing wasn’t a practical, working knowledge. It was just theory from what other people had done in the past.  If you’re not making any money, try making this mental shift. It’s fast, easy and surprisingly refreshing when all’s said and done.

You probably see yourself as a business owner (or one in the making), a professional, a service provider of some kind, etc.

For a minute, forget about all those things and see yourself as one thing. A salesman or saleswoman.

Unless you’re selling stuff, you’re not making any money. If you’re not making money, you’re not going to be in business for long. That means – you have to become a salesman, saleswoman or salesperson – whichever label you prefer.

That are probably a hundred and one labels you’d prefer giving yourself than that of a salesperson. Seeing yourself as a salesman or saleswoman isn’t nearly as glamorous as seeing yourself as a business owner. Be a business owner. But be a salesperson, too. Look at yourself in the mirror and say, “I’m a salesperson for (insert your business name).  I sell (insert the product or service).

If you’re a small business owner, you can take it a step further by saying – you’re a salesperson working on 100% commission. In other words, if you don’t sell, you don’t eat. You can’t simplify it any better than that.

Yes, But I Hate Selling!

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say, “I hate selling, I hate sales,” over the years. More times than I can count.  You hate selling? Think about this – we continuously sell our opinions, ideas and ourselves – day in and day out. We sell our ideas and talk to convince and persuade spouses, children, parents, friends, co-workers, etc., without giving it a second thought.

“But I believe in myself and what I’m talking about,” someone objects.

Fine.

Find a product or service you feel the same way about and you’re in business.

George Foreman’s Multi-Million-Dollar Lesson

Most people know George Foreman from the George Foreman grill. Especially the under 30 crowd. Back in the early 1970’s, however, he was known as the heavyweight champion of the world. Before Muhammad Ali defeated him to recapture the title in 1974, he was considered to be invincible in the ring. Even to this day, he’s considered to be one of the hardest punching fighters of all-time.

George made his comeback in 1987 after being out of boxing for a decade. This time, however, he approached boxing as a business and learned how to sell his himself to boxing fans, boxing promoters and potential advertisers. He recaptured the title in 1994 and made multiple millions in the process. During a recent interview, he said his athletic ability was less a factor in his business success than his selling skills.

“If you learn to sell, it’s worth more than a degree. It’s worth more than the heavyweight championship of the world. It’s even more important than having a million dollars in the bank. Learn to sell and you’ll never starve.” – George Foreman

Realize this, successful people are also salespeople, regardless of what they’re promoting. Maybe they’re selling their qualifications to a board of directors to lead a company as the next CEO? It doesn’t matter, it’s still sales. Or maybe they’re selling themselves to a political party as the most electable candidate? Once again, it’s good, old-fashioned sales. White collar, blue collar and everything in-between – everyone’s selling something.

Selling is a skill and like any skill, you can develop it with practice.

Don’t Feel Bad About Marketing/Selling!

Most people will agree they hate being “sold to.” The truth is, people hate being pushed into making a buying decision. Over the past year, those closest to me have been trying to sell me on eating better food, watching my weight and taking vitamins. It hasn’t been the easiest sell, either, because I’m not fat, sick or in any type of “danger zone.” Nevertheless, my friends and family believe they have something of value that I can and will benefit from and they’ve been promoting it consistently.

Gradually, after hearing stories, reading articles and considering the facts they’ve presented, I started buying their ideas.

They don’t feel bad at all about what they’re “selling.” Neither should you.

If you don’t believe in something, don’t sell it. It really can be that simple if you want it to be.

I Used To Feel Bad About Selling

I used to feel bad about selling because I’d hear the older folks talk about how cheap something was twenty or thirty years ago. As time passed, I experienced the same thing myself. The magazine I used to pay $1.25 for is now $8.95. Gas, milk, food – everything has skyrocketed compared to days gone by.

Does that mean the people who sell us these things are ripping us off? If so, then we’re all taking turns ripping each other off because everyone’s “stuff” costs a lot more than it used to. Even your grocery bill is noticeably higher than it was two years ago. Have you noticed? I’m sure you have.

Rather than get into a long, drawn out discussion over who’s to blame for what, let’s just deal with the simple facts.

If you want to live in the economy that exists in 2013, you have to price your products and services accordingly. When the cost of living goes up, guess what happens? Everything goes up. Or just about everything. You have to price your products and services according to factors you do not have any direct control over.

A good deal today was yesterday’s rip-off.

Business is part art, part science and 100% persistence and perseverance.  Despite the many books, courses and how-to products that come out on the market every year, you can boil all bells, whistles and psychology down to two common denominators.

1. You’re in the marketing business.

2. You (yourself) need to start selling.

The late, great P.T. Barnum once said …

“The great secret of success in anything is to get a hearing.  Half the object is gained when the audience is assembled.”

Understandably, most of the  marketing gurus focus their efforts on teaching you how to “get a hearing” … how to write dynamite headlines … how to use “bullets” … how to use envelope “teasers” … how to grab the reader’s Attention, spark their Interest, flame their Desire, and ask for Action.  But …

They seem to overlook the fact that they are directing 100% of your effort toward only half the requisite formula.

Because … as P.T. Barnum said …

“Half the object is gained when the audience is assembled.”

When the  marketing gurus finally … if ever … hit upon the subject of “assembling an audience,” they focus on mailing-list selection, demographic profiling, and lead generation.  They either forget, or don’t realize, that fully half the purpose of the ad-copy is to “assemble an audience.”

Mailing-list selection, demographic profiling, and lead generation … although easily confused with “assembling an audience” … are really more in the realm of “defining” an audience.  Once an “audience” has been “defined,” it still has to be “assembled” in order for your message to “get a hearing.”

Actually, I think the marketing gurus really know about assembling an audience … other than the mechanics of “defining” the possible customers … but, it really is a rather difficult concept to teach. — So, let me use an easier example to explain what I mean by “assembling an audience.”

Here are three headlines for a “sales letter” about an up-coming Elvis concert …

Attention: Rock & Roll Fans!

Attention:  ELVIS Fans!

ELVIS!!  Live!  In Concert!

It would appear that all three of those headlines would get Attention – but, which one of them would do the most to “assemble an audience.”

Let’s take a closer look …

Attention: Rock & Roll Fans! — “includes” everyone who considers themselves a “Rock & Roll Fan” – but – it “excludes” everyone and anyone who doesn’t consider themselves a “fan.”

The headline “defines” a general audience.  Attention-getting – but – whose attention?

Attention:  ELVIS Fans! — “includes” only those who consider themselves to be “fans” of Elvis – but – it “excludes” anyone who really isn’t a “fan.”

The headline, again, “defines” an audience – but – this time it is only a very small segment of the potential audience.

Beyond that, both of those headlines might well turn-off some of its intended audience. — Those people who might just enjoy some of the Rock & Roll music … or some of Elvis’ hits … but, subconsciously, they don’t want to label themselves, or be labeled, “fans.”

ELVIS!!  Live!  In Concert! — not only “includes” Rock & Roll Fans and Elvis Fans, it “includes” those people who have only heard about Elvis … people who enjoy seeing any performer or entertainer “live” … people who enjoy going to  concerts (of any kind) … and people who like to socialize by attending public events – but – it would “exclude” only those who didn’t share any of the above mentioned attributes.

The headline is “inclusive” enough to attract the attention of a huge audience … with varying reasons to be interested … and only “excludes” those who wouldn’t be interested for any reason.

By the way, nobody in the entertainment field would write a “sales letter” to invite people to a live concert.  (Besides, Elvis has left the building.) — I just used it as an example, in order for you to more easily understand the concept of “assembling an audience.”

When I sit-down … or stand-up, for that matter … to write ad-copy for any kind of product or service, the first thing I do is “define” the audience from which my customers will come.

Sometimes, I use the “definition” of my chosen audience as the premise for my headline, bullets, and body-copy to “exclude” everyone else. — Like a couple years ago, when I wrote an ad for an Air Purifier used in trucks, I used the headline, “Truck Drivers Stink!” — Since the product was “specifically” being sold to Truck Drivers, I purposely “excluded” everyone else.

Other times, I use the “definition” of my chosen audience to “include”  everyone who might have even the slightest interest in the product or service …  “excluding” only those who would have little or no interest at all. — Like the lead-line I have used for over 11 years to sell subscriptions to our “WorldWide Business Exchange” — http://www.businesslyceum.com/resources.html – business opportunities newsletter, “If you have a few minutes, I’d like to tell you how I became a millionaire … maybe it will help you in your business.”  — Using that lead-line “includes” anyone, and everyone, engaged in a business of their own … and those people who might want to be.

Then again, I might use a “non-defining” headline that allows my audience to “define” itself … like my “Self-Liquidating (Arbitrage) Loans” — http://www.businesslyceum.com/SLLoans.html  … when I know there is an audience but I can’t “define” that audience specifically. — I simply let them “define” themselves.

Which ever method I use, my purpose is to “assemble an audience” … an   audience who will, hopefully, include enough people who will applaud my performance … send money … to make my efforts profitable.

By the way, the “Truck Drivers Stink!” ad got a lot of comments … good and bad, positive and negative … but it didn’t make any money because the product was over-priced (a point I brought to my client’s attention before I wrote the ad).

So – no matter what the  marketing gurus might tell you – remember …

Before your message can “get a hearing” it must FIRST “assemble an audience.”

As I have said, over and over, “Ad-copywriting is more art than science.” — That’s why all of us old  masters are right … and all of us are wrong.

The Internet has changed a lot since its early days. It’s transformed the way we do business today. Like most people, I started out online doing everything myself. What I did in the process was to create a job for myself – which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. I was still working for myself along with a few partners on the side. I marketed my own booklet publications and consulting services. Like my father, his father… and his father before him, I was basically a one man show.

The good thing about being a one man show is – you don’t have to worry about employees. The bad thing about being a one man show is – if anything ever happens to you… the show’s over.

Owning a small business doesn’t mean you have to do everything yourself to get the job done right. The world is filled with skilled individuals that will help you inexpensively if you take the time to look.

This is for the do-it-yourselfers out there. If you sit back and take an honest look at what you’re doing, you’ll come to the conclusion there are other people better suited for certain tasks than you are.

Take your website for instance. There are plenty of designers out there who can make your site look incredibly professional for “pennies on the dollar.” You can find these people on odesk.com, elance.com and other outsourcing sites. You can even find some of these people on Fiverr, believe it or not!

About a decade ago I started a local webhosting service in Florida. Many of my friends who are also business owners wound up hosting their websites with my company. One day, one of them called because their email wasn’t working properly. Five hours later everything was fixed. I happened to be the one handled the support at the time. Five hours and ton of stress later, I found the solution.

I still own the webhosting service, but I learned something from those experiences. I learned there were some jobs that were better left off to other people. I learned that, sometimes, doing it yourself isn’t such a great idea.

Last week a friend of mine emailed me and said one of his new employees was having trouble with his new email accounts in Belgium. What did I do? I contacted my technical support team and they fixed the problem. While they worked on the problem, I spent my time working on other things. Sure, hiring other people costs money. Most people can’t afford to be hiring too many people when first starting out. But realize this – once a business grows, it will eventually outgrow your ability to manage everything yourself.

When that happens, you have a choice. Stay small and keep doing everything yourself. Or, hire others and build something that’s bigger than you are.

In my own case, I came to the fork in the road where I had to decide, do I stay “small” and have less headaches (and money)? Or, do I hire others to multiply my time?

I chose option two. I’m sure you’ve hear that employees or outsourcing work will cause “headaches” you can avoid while staying small. But let’s face it, if you’re small and busy… you already have “headaches” to deal with because you’re doing everything yourself.

SOMETIMES DOING IT YOURSELF CAN HOLD YOU BACK

After college I met a businessman in New Jersey who owned a design firm. Years earlier, he’d been a designer himself. He built a nice sized business with about 15 employees. At that point, he no longer did any of the design work himself. Instead, he went to his different accounts to pick up and drop off work.

He started out, however, doing everything himself. Finally, he got the point where he realized he could no longer keep up with all the training and changes that were taking place in the industry. This was right before computers changed the design industry forever. And so, he invested his energy in finding and hiring the right kind of workers his company needed to keep moving forward. Had he been stubborn and tried to do everything himself, he probably would have gone out of business.

DETERMINE THE AREA YOU NEED THE MOST HELP IN

The process of moving from a do-it-yourselfer to a full-fledged employer doesn’t have to be a difficult process. It can be as easy as determining what area of your business (or life) is giving you the most problems and then looking for someone to assist you in that area.

Notice I used the word “assist.” Eventually, that assistant can take over an area completely. First, however, they have to learn how you want the job done. If they don’t work out for whatever reason, you can find someone to replace them.

Of been on both sides of the fence. I’ve spent nights tossing and turning because of certain problems I couldn’t get a handle on. And I’ve slept peacefully through the night knowing someone else more capable than myself was handling the issue for me.

Think about it. We hire specialists when we can’t do the job correctly or efficiently ourselves.

When I was a kid, there were plenty of shade tree mechanics who could work on your car.

Today, besides a few basic things, we leave the car repairs to someone else. Technology advances has made life easier and more difficult – all at the same time.

AFFILIATE PROGRAMS LEVERAGE THE TIME AND TALENT OF OTHERS

One of the reasons affiliate programs are so popular these days is because this type of program allows you to leverage the time, money and resources invested by other people. Other people create the products. They invest the time, money and energy bringing it from concept to completion. You sell it and get a commission. Sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? It’s not rocket science. The downside is, you don’t control the product, prices or support. If an issue arises in any of these areas, there can be problems.

Also, most people don’t want to get offers from you in their inboxes day after day. Most people promoting affiliate programs burn out their lists quickly doing this. Used properly, however, Affiliate products can have a place in just about any type of business you can think of.

PUT THE DAYS OF “I CAN’T” OR “I DON’T KNOW HOW” BEHIND YOU

When you’re younger, you invest time and energy into a variety of pursuits and interests. As you get older, it’s easier to define what it is you actually want and what’s valuable to you as an individual. In my own case, the most valuable commodity I have is time. I enjoy working with people, one-on-one, helping them develop their businesses. I also enjoy writing. Those are the two things I focus upon.

There was a time when the words, “I can’t,” and “I don’t know how” presented genuine roadblocks for me. At the time, I told myself I “couldn’t afford” to pay someone else to do the work. The funny thing was, I always seemed to find money for other things. Like eating out. Or buying books I wanted to read.

That’s when I had to decide what it was that I really wanted. Did I want to eat out and read books as my top priority or did I want to build a business?

Business can be volatile, uncertain and downright risky at times. That’s why so many people get jobs where there are certain guarantees of income from one week to the next. But let’s face it, in the new economy; the job market will never be a safe haven for many years to come.

I started my first business with a long list of things I couldn’t or didn’t know how to do.

I learned how to do new things until the time came when it made more sense to have other workers assist me. This simple approach worked for me. It’ll work for you, too.

There are specific tasks that, when focused upon, will bring you the greatest return for your investment. Those are the things you need to concentrate upon. This is a simple business building strategy anyone can follow. Don’t waste time developing a skill you’re only going to use a few times unless you’re flat broke and have no other options at the time.

Remember, you make money by producing a result. Most people spend way too much time and money consuming products and services others produce and not enough time selling their own.

Do what you do best.

Employ others to do the rest.

If you are like most people in the U.S., you drive an automobile – but – how often do you really think about what you are doing while you are behind the steering wheel? — You don’t think about applying pressure to the accelerator.  You don’t really remember how you decide how much pressure to apply … too little, you slow down in the middle of traffic … too much, you get a speeding ticket.

Or, how about steering the car? — Without remembering what you are doing; or how you are doing it, you easily keep the car in your lane of traffic.  And, when you want to turn left, or right, you just turn the steering wheel in the direction you want to go and guide the car smoothly and accurately into the correct lane of traffic in the chosen direction … without considering the coordination of steering, accelerating and braking you have accomplished.

You don’t think about it, you just do it.  But, it wasn’t always that way.

If you will remember, back when you were first learning to drive you probably had a hard time just keeping the car between the ditches. — It took a conscience thought … and no little effort … to get the car to go where you wanted it to go, at the speed at which you wanted to go … without bumping into, or running over, something.

The reason you drive so well (I hope) today is because, at the time you were learning to drive, your dreams of driving yourself to and from school events, or to a job, or cruising with your friends … chasing girls (or boys) … was all-important to you.  Nothing else was quite as important.  Your social life and economic future were irretrievably linked to your ability to drive an automobile.

Driving an automobile meant freedom … freedom from depending upon your parents … freedom to go the places you needed or wanted to go when you wanted to go … freedom to explore places you had never been before and do things you had never done before … freedom to be yourself. — If you didn’t learn to drive an automobile, you knew you would forever be dependent upon someone else to get you to where you wanted to go.

Aren’t those ‘reasons’ for learning to drive an automobile very, very similar to the ‘reasons’ you’ve wanted to own your own business?

Owning your own business means freedom … freedom from depending upon someone else for a paycheck … freedom to have the things you need or want when you want them … freedom to pursue the activities you just can’t afford on a paycheck … freedom to be yourself. — But, in all too many cases…

It Just Ain’t That Important!

Think about it. — Learning to drive was all-important to you when you were young because, if you didn’t drive, you simply couldn’t survive in our mobile society.  Even the survival of the human race seemed dependent upon your learning to drive.  After all, if you couldn’t drive, you would be less likely to find a mate and procreate.

But, owning your own business isn’t quite that imperative.

Without a business of your own, you can still get a job and earn enough to afford, at least, the basic necessities of life.  And, even people who have never held a job have mates and procreate … and procreate … and procreate some more.

Beyond that, when you were learning to drive a car, you were more than willing to pay the price to achieve your goal. — Even though you had giant butterflies in your stomach every time you seated yourself behind the steering wheel you persisted.

There were times you just knew you would never learn to control that great iron-beast, but you persevered. — After all, your social and economic life depended upon you learning to drive … not learning would mean the death of your hopes and dreams.

While owning your own business is a worthy goal, less than 2% of those who pursue that goal do so with any kind of dedication. — They have the desire but not the …

Imperative Motivation!

Talking about ‘motivation’ is easy – but – getting ‘motivated’ is not an easy task … especially when there is no imperative (life or death) reason to become motivated.

Face it, most people would like to be rich and successful … or at least be better-off than they are. — Some dream of driving a luxury car, living in a big home in a fine neighborhood, and taking vacations at exotic locations around the world.  Others envision paying-off their debts, having a little-extra in their saving account, and being able to just go on a vacation.

The dreams are real – but – unless the person having those dreams is ‘motivated’ to make their dreams a reality, it will never happen.  After all, they won’t die if they don’t achieve their goal; no matter how grandiose their goals may be.

Young people won’t die if they don’t learn how to drive a car either – but – they firmly believe that, if they don’t learn how to drive, they won’t have a life; which is just about the same as being dead to them.

When you think about it, it really is a …

Sad Commentary On Life!

While over 90% of the young people in this country find it imperative that they learn to drive a car, less than 2% of those who want a better life ever do anything to achieve it.

It is especially disheartening when you receive a ‘note’ like this:

“Jim, please take me off your mailing list.  I have been reading your materials for over 20 years.  In all that time it has never made me any money.  I’ll be 65 this year.  I really wanted to make some money from your programs but I guess I’ll just have to live off my Social Security.”

Sad. — Over the same 20 years he was reading my material, I was making millions upon millions of dollars doing exactly the same things; the very same way, I was teaching him (and all my other readers) to do it.

Although there are thousand upon thousands of books, booklets, reports and courses on the market on almost every subject relative to making-money, no one has yet discovered a way to get the people who read that information to “use” it.

What is the “Imperative Motivation” that separates the 2% who succeed from the 98% who only dream? — Maybe we will never know.

It’s up to you!

I remember relatives talking about a distant cousin of mine who went out to California many years ago to “find himself.” Unfortunately, he found himself in trouble, getting arrested with a bunch of other people. His name (along with the others) was published in the local newspaper. After that, he had an even tougher time making a go of it in that area. So much for the old saying about there being no such thing as bad publicity. I was about nine years old at time.

Sometime later, I heard about this same cousin again while staying my aunt’s house. You could always count on hearing the latest family news when my older aunts were around. They’d talk in low, somber tones (just loud enough for everyone to hear) while sitting in their chairs knitting quilts and afghans.

Anyway, this time he was playing professional sports (minor leagues) somewhere out West. I believe I was about 13 years old at the time.

The next time I saw him, I was in my late teens. By then he was doing something completely different. The last time I heard anything about him was about 15 years ago. If I remember correctly, he was taking some time off before starting something new.

Before I go any further, let me clarify something about my cousin. As it turned out, he had an above average IQ (as was last reported by my aunts who’ve long since passed on). Even so, he just couldn’t seem to find the business or profession. Success was always around the next bend. Today, this problem is more common than ever. Here’s why…

1. People under financial pressure will usually redirect their focus to whatever will put “cash in their pockets” today. This means projects; goals and other such things are regularly interrupted by the necessities of the moment.
2. People with multiple interests, experience and skills have to deal with the nagging doubts that they’ve made the wrong choice when what they’re currently doing isn’t “taking off.”
3. Some people genuinely enjoy doing many different things and cannot see themselves happily committing 100% of their time, money and attention to a singular thing while putting the rest of their projects on a shelf (perhaps permanently).

Very few people can do multiple things in business simultaneously and succeed. That’s because successful marketing requires you to stand out in a crowd. Let’s face it, it’s almost impossible to stand out in a crowd when you’re carrying three different business cards and have to hesitate before you answer the question, “What do you do for a living?”

Successful businesspeople stand out in their crowd. Successful professionals stand out their crowd. If you do the math, you’ll see it’s very difficult to stand head and shoulders above people committing 100% their time, money and energy to promoting a single business while you’re dividing up that same amount of time trying to promote three.

The theory that promoting several things and going with the one that takes off usually results in your running several “midget profit businesses.” During my mid to late 20’s, I interviewed several millionaires here in Florida. You may not agree with this statement I’m about to make. You may even get angry at me about it and say I don’t understand your situation… but I’m going to say this anyway.

You can either focus on paying bills, or you can focus on building a business, but you can’t do both. I’ll just leave it at that. If that sounds like a play on words, read it again.

GETTING LOST IN THE CROWD

Do your best to fill in the blanks with the questions below.

“When someone needs (fill in the blank), I want to be the first person that comes to mind.”

“I want to be best known for (fill in the blank).”

If getting noticed is what you’re after, the first steps to getting there is being able to answer the two questions above. If you spend the rest of the day thinking only about those two questions, you will have not wasted your time. That’s how important it is to answer these questions if you haven’t already. The answers can change your life.

I know you have your reasons for doing what you’re doing, but from the outside looking in, most people can be seeing something much different. Studies over the years have shown people often assume those who do several different things do so because they’re not good enough at any single one of them to make a living.

Other people assume those who do several things are scattered and not completely reliable. That doesn’t mean people don’t like you or enjoy your company. That’s not the case at all. They just feel they’ll get a product or service that’s “more professional” from someone else. If they do come to you, they’ll often want to pay the lowest price possible for what you’re offering.

Let’s call it the “Handy-Man Syndrome.” People hire a handyman because they don’t want to pay an electrician, plumber or contractor of some sort. And sure, there are certain jobs a handyman can do just as well. Most people with this business model, however, experience feast or famine. They either have so much work, they’re working around the clock… or they have nothing at all. That’s not a good way to build a reliable, steady business income.

People want the best they can afford. They’re willing to pay more (if they have it) to get the job done by the most qualified people possible.

FOCUS… OR NOT…

First, let me say this. If focusing were easy, everyone would be doing it! Jim Straw once told me that nothing of any significance happened with his business until his wife made him focus upon one thing and one thing only. At the time, it happened to be the retail store he owned. Focus is required when you’re looking for a big hit. If you want to make some noise in your market, it’s going to take focus to do so. Otherwise, you’re just another cookie in the jar.

Think about it for a minute. What could you accomplish if you focused your time, energy, money and resources on one, single thing? If you can’t answer the question, it’s probably because you’ve never done it. Wouldn’t you like to find out?

FOCUS ON SPECIALIZING

It’s clear that some people are hesitant to commit to a specific plan of action – fearing that putting all their eggs in one basket would be disastrous if their plan failed. This is understandable because no one can tell you what tomorrow may bring.

On the other hand, being one of a million people providing the same basic product or service virtually guarantees a lifetime of sub-par results. Instead of being one of a million, focus on becoming ONE-IN-A-MILLION and learn how to stand out in whatever crowd you happen to find yourself in.

You can’t follow the crowd and expect to stand out in it at the same time. Once action is taken, all sorts of doors can open up for you.

For example, one person I know of started a medical billing service and committed to a long term strategy for acquiring new clients and business. Originally, they had a general type of billing service that would accept clients from any and every industry. After a year of the “get whatever work you can” approach, he was just about out of business. That’s when he became convinced he needed to specialize in order to stand out in a crowd. So, he committed to a new plan of action. Over the course of several months, he restructured his company as a medical billing service. Business was slow… but he maintained his focus.

Finally, at a networking event someone asked him if he’d be willing to do billing for a different type of industry altogether. After thinking about it for minute, he agreed. His new client loved the work and provided so many referrals; his business was booming within a very short period of time.

The lesson is, taking a step of faith and choosing a specific market opened a door to another market he never even considered. The door, however, didn’t open while promoting a general billing service. It didn’t happen until he specialized. That’s what enabled him to stand out. The initial client probably thought, if the company was good enough to handle medical billing, they’d be more than qualified to handle their industry as well.

Let me ask you, if you targeted Market A and inadvertently got discovered by Market B in the process and built a large business, would you consider yourself a failure? Probably not. It’s called – being in the right place at the right time. When you take that extra step of faith, it’s amazing how often you’ll find “good coincidences” happening with your life and business.

DON’T OVER-COMPLICATE THE PROCESS

Finding a niche or market to serve doesn’t have to be a complicated process. You’re simply matching your education (school, real world, or otherwise) to the needs of a particular industry or group of people. Sometimes it’s as easy as providing a simple service that others don’t have the time to do properly themselves.

Can you relate your past experiences to people’s current needs? Sometimes that’s all it takes to narrow your focus.

I got involved in the paper and ink publishing businesses back in the 1990’s. That’s when we called paper books – “real books” and eBooks were looked at by the publishing industry as red-headed stepchildren.

Now, so much information is distributed in digital form, I believe the words “eBooks and whitepapers” will eventually disappear from our vocabulary. Instead, there will be books that you can download and books you can get in paper and ink format. One version isn’t any more “real” than the other.

When I started publishing information, I kept it simple. That’s where the concept for simplepublications.com originally came from. Over time I began seeing the value in keeping everything as simple as possible. I can’t tell you how many people who are “stuck” in life are continually looking for more data and more information from which they can solve their problems.

Oftentimes, getting more information does little more than blur the existing list of possible choices. Sometimes, it’s more effective to examine what can possibly be a simple solution and take action from there. For example –

Problem: You’re in a crowded market and not making enough sales
Solution: Specialize are narrow your focus within that market and create a distinct difference between what you’re offering and what everyone else is offering.

Problem: Your market is too small and there are not enough sales to sustain your business.
Solution: Try “re-purposing” your product or service for other markets that have enough buyers to build a more stable income upon. Unless the market has enough buyers, why spend your time and energy there?

SUMMING IT UP

We’re not in the same world our parents did business in anymore. In may be the same planet, but it’s not the same world. We’re not even in the same world we were in a decade ago. Times change, markets change and so do interests and the things people place their value in. What doesn’t change, however, are the simple – evergreen laws of business. What do you want to become known for in 2013 – going forward? As long as problems exist (and we have plenty of those), people will be willing to pay money to those providing solutions to the problems.

Unique opportunities exist for your individual blend of talents, experience and know-how. All you have to do is be willing to put in the effort to find them.

As I told you last month, I have found a ho’bunch more questions I received a couple years ago from wannabee publishers planning on publishing an anthology of my answers.  They never got published but they are worth sharing with you.

Here’s this month’s batch …

Q:  What’s the best way to maximize my online advertising on a very limited budget?

A:  Back when Attorneys in the U.S. couldn’t advertise … it was against their “Rules of Practice” … they had a saying:

“When you can’t advertise, socialize.”

It’s the same when you can advertise, but have a limited budget.

Find the discussion groups, boards and forums about your product or service.  Then, start interacting with the other participants.  Build upon those relationships to develop your own email list… to which you can market your products by email.

By the way, I fully explain the methods to employ in my book, “How You Really Can … Make Your Internet Fortune as an Affiliate Marketer!” –

Q:  If you were to start again with nothing, not even a list, what would be your plan of attack to get your product out there, on a limited budget and WITHOUT joint ventures?

A:  Believe it or don’t … in those circumstance, I would never create any products of my own.  I would only market other people’s products.   I would slowly but surely build my email list and market to that list.

Using the methods I explain in my book,  “How You Really Can … Make Your Internet  Fortune as an Affiliate Marketer!”  – I would be making money within 30-60 days and would be in high  cotton within 6 months.

Q:  Can you tell us about how you first got started on the internet? What was your first web site, and how did you grow from there?

A:  Back in 1999, a great many  of my paper & ink newsletter subscribers  were asking where they could buy my products online — so — I created my website … http://www.businesslyceum.com … as mostly a catalog where my subscribers could buy my products online.

When I announced the web site in my paper & ink newsletter, I had about 200 of my readers sign up for my “Business Lyceum e-Letter.” — Then, I added the URL  to every piece of sales material leaving our office.

The Business Lyceum had covered all of its initial costs and was “profitable” by January, 2000.

Seeing the potential profits, I simply began adding  more and more names to my email list and emailing them offers for my  products.

In mid-2003, I became an affiliate for the best related products I could find.  Within 3 months,  I was  picking up a few extra thousand dollars per week in affiliate commissions. — That’s when I decided to write my new book, “How You Really Can … Make Your Internet  Fortune as an Affiliate Marketer!” in which I explain how just about anyone can do the same thing.

Q:  Your bio says that “Today, Straw is making a new … bigger … fortune on the Internet.”  Has internet marketing surpassed direct marketing, and if yes, why?

A:  Yes & No … Internet marketing IS direct marketing, electronically.

Although Internet marketing has proven to be a viable marketing medium … and a good number of old mail-order pros (like me) are using it very successfully … mail-order  is still  alive and well.  As a matter of fact, with so  many small mail-order people moving  more & more  of their efforts to the  Internet, mail-order is actually  getting stronger and stronger because there is less and less competition.

Remember:  Although there are millions of people who order on the Internet, there  are even more millions of  people who are NOT on the Internet and must rely upon offers they receive in the mail.

Q:  What do you consider to be the biggest barrier to starting out on the net today, and how would you overcome this?

A:  It  is the same barrier that has always been the downfall of business wannabees. — Fear.  (Fear of failure.  Fear of loss.)  Coupled with an insatiable desire to make money “the easy way” over night.

The only way to overcome that barrier is to confront your  fears; embrace your  failures and losses as learning experiences and accept the fact that making money requires WORK … there ain’t no easy way.

Too many beginners must honestly believe that they are better than me and all the others who have made fortunes. — We had to pay our dues, take  our licks, suffer our losses and live with our  disappointments until we finally achieved our goals.  For some reason, they think they don’t have to.

Q:  What are your specific tools for managing the ever-increasing crush of email?   Since you obviously contend with huge amounts of email, what are your processes, and yet still keeping your communications personal and meaningful to those in your group(s)?

A:  My specific tool is B2C … I apply my Butt to a Chair.

For the life of me, I cannot understand people who have  time to complain  about  spam or too  many emails.  The  time they spend complaining would be far better spent making money.

I just sit down at my computer and start opening emails … with my cursor on  the delete key.  Then, I open each  email and either  delete it,  answer it, or leave  it in my inbox  for future action (answer, follow up, whatever). — I don’t waste my time trying to search for the culprit who  sent me  spam  …  I just delete it and go on to the next email, until I come to an  email that requires an answer.  Then, I answer the email and go on.   For emails that ask a complex question that  will take  some thought or  research to  answer, I just leave them in the inbox and go back to answer them when my email box is empty.

My email is for the purpose of making  money … NOT trying to rid  the world of spammers.

Q:  Should a business focus on just one product, or should it try to diversify its offerings?

A:  Both … as in mail order, you find one product that sells well.  Keep selling it;  over & over &  over.  While it is selling, you locate other products that would sell to the  same buyers.  When you find another product that sells well  to the same buyers, you add it  to your stable and continue locating other products.

Eventually, you will have a stable of products along the same lines that you can sell to an ever-increasing customer base.

Q:  What would you say are the secrets to writing reports, books, booklets, manuals, courses and articles about doing business?

A:  As my Daddy used to say, “There aren’t any secrets in this old world.  Just things you don’t happen to know, yet.” – Over 50 years in business, I have added to what my Daddy used to say … “Even after you have learned what you didn’t know, it still remains a secret until you  can  use what you have learned successfully.”

There is more and more crap on the Internet about writing reports, books, booklets, manuals, courses and articles about  doing business.  Most of  it is based upon the idea of researching a subject, then simply rewording what you have read. — The only problem with that is, it doesn’t  take long for the buying public to get onto your game and label  you a fraud.

If you  really  “know”  something you can share with others, then, all you have to do is sit down and write what  you  know.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t even have to know how to use proper grammar or even punctuation.  As long as you can tell the reader something that you know, that they want to know, you will have an audience.

To do it … find something you want to do in business.  Read everything you can find on the subject.  Then, DO IT until you are successful at doing it … writing down what you did and how you did it.

ONLY then can you  write  a report, book, booklet, manual, course or whatever about doing it.

Q:  Would you mind sharing a simple step by step plan for beginners to start a mail order business – from creating the product, marketing and delivering the product as well as the follow up to keep customer loyal?

A:  Over the past 15 years, I have told hundreds (maybe even thousands) of people wanting to get into mail order that  …  “If I had to do it all over again, I would never create my own products. — I would simply sell other people’s products and eliminate the hassles of production, fulfillment, inventory control, and other costs that eat away at profits.”

In other words, I would only become a drop ship dealer for other people’s products and services.

As a drop ship dealer, I could use the advertising copy supplied by the drop shipper and simply rent a list of people who were demographically profiled as having bought similar products, or services, in the  past.  Then, I would just mail the drop shipper’s advertising to those people… building  my own list of known buyers (those who bought the product from me) to whom I would mail similar offers.

In my mail order course … “Own Your Own Mail Order Business. – A More Scientific Approach.”  I tell the story of a young man who was making $600,000 per year from his basement office; all by himself, doing only that.

Q:  Has there been any particular person that you feel has given you the most help in your business?

A:  Yes … only one … my wife, Delores.  Although I have developed some people skills over the years, she  is my people person.  She takes care of all those little things that would get in my way of doing business and making money.

Stay tuned … next month  we will  continue with  more questions and answers.  Maybe some of them will be questions you  would have asked; maybe not – but – you can always ASK me any question  you want  about making money.

I may not tell you what you want  to hear … like the  “gurus” do … but, I will tell you the truth of the matter as I have seen it over the past 50+ years.